The current character creation system in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord offers a decent range of backgrounds, but it largely focuses on land-based experiences. For players craving a seafaring adventure, the options feel limited. This article addresses that craving by exploring five potential new naval-focused character backgrounds in Bannerlord 2 that would enrich gameplay and provide exciting new campaign starts. We will also delve into how these backgrounds might shape your skills, starting relationships, and overall experience.
The foundation of any great Bannerlord campaign lies in its origin. The choices you make during character creation directly influence your starting skills, relationships, and even the type of equipment you begin with. Currently, none of the available backgrounds cater specifically to players who dream of commanding fleets, raiding coastal villages, or building a naval empire. Let’s explore five potential naval-focused backgrounds that could fill this void.
The Coastal Raider: A Life of Plunder
Imagine starting as a seasoned coastal raider, hailing from the lawless fringes of the Calradic Empire. This background would position you as a skilled warrior, adept at sea combat and subterfuge.
- Skills: High starting skills in Riding, Athletics, Roguery, and Smithing (for maintaining your equipment).
- Relationships: Hostile relations with most coastal factions but potential allies among other bandit groups or rogue lords.
- Starting Equipment: Basic raiding gear, a small but fast ship (perhaps a Snea or Karve), and a band of hardened warriors.
This background would immediately thrust you into a world of conflict and opportunity, forcing you to survive by your wits and strength. You would need to carefully choose your targets, build alliances, and eventually either carve out your own territory or become a feared mercenary commander. A unique element could be the ability to construct hidden coastal bases to store loot and recruit new raiders.
The Merchant Mariner: Trade and Opportunity
Alternatively, consider the life of a merchant mariner. Instead of violence, your expertise lies in navigating the seas, trading goods, and managing a fleet of merchant vessels.
- Skills: High starting skills in Trade, Stewardship, Tactics, and Navigation.
- Relationships: Neutral to positive relations with most factions, particularly those reliant on maritime trade.
- Starting Equipment: A large merchant ship (Cog or Carrack), a cargo of valuable goods, and a small crew of sailors and guards.
This background would present a very different kind of challenge. Your initial focus would be on building your wealth and influence through trade. However, you would also need to defend your ships from pirates and rival merchants, navigate complex political landscapes, and potentially even use your wealth to manipulate factions or fund your own army. Investing in shipbuilding and establishing trade routes would be crucial for long-term success.
The Naval Officer: Duty and Honor
A third option could be a naval officer, serving in the fleet of one of the established kingdoms. This background would offer a structured start with clear goals and opportunities for advancement.
- Skills: High starting skills in Tactics, Leadership, Riding, and Smithing (for ship maintenance and repair).
- Relationships: Positive relations with your chosen kingdom but potential rivals among other officers.
- Starting Equipment: A small warship (Dromon or Chelandion), a loyal crew, and a commission in the navy.
This background would provide a more stable path to power, allowing you to rise through the ranks, command larger fleets, and eventually influence the politics of your kingdom. However, you would also be bound by duty and honor, forced to follow orders and fight for your kingdom’s interests, even if it means facing overwhelming odds. Successfully defending coastal cities and engaging in naval battles would be key to earning renown and promotions.
The Castaway: Survival Against the Odds
For a more challenging and unique experience, a castaway background could be implemented. Stranded on a remote island after a shipwreck, you would need to survive, rebuild, and eventually return to civilization.
- Skills: High starting skills in Scouting, Medicine, Engineering (for shipbuilding and repairs), and Athletics.
- Relationships: Initially neutral to all factions, but your actions would determine your future relationships.
- Starting Equipment: Limited supplies, salvaged materials, and a desperate determination to survive.
This background would force you to rely on your resourcefulness and ingenuity. You would need to gather food, build shelter, craft tools, and eventually construct a ship to escape the island. Along the way, you might encounter other survivors, hostile natives, or even hidden treasures. Mastering crafting and resource management would be essential for survival and eventual escape.
The River Pirate: A Different Kind of Naval Warfare
While the ocean is the most obvious setting for naval combat, Bannerlord could also incorporate river warfare. A river pirate background would focus on raiding settlements along major rivers, using shallow-draft boats to navigate treacherous waters.
- Skills: High starting skills in Roguery, Athletics, Riding, and Engineering (for building and maintaining river boats).
- Relationships: Hostile relations with settlements along the river but potential alliances with other river pirate groups.
- Starting Equipment: A small, maneuverable river boat, basic raiding gear, and a small band of cutthroats.
This background would offer a unique blend of naval and land combat. You would need to be skilled at navigating rivers, ambushing merchant vessels, and raiding coastal villages. Building and upgrading your river boats would be crucial for staying ahead of the competition and evading pursuit. The geography of the rivers would present unique tactical challenges, requiring you to use the environment to your advantage.
Having spent considerable time exploring the current limitations of naval interactions in Bannerlord 2, I believe that these character backgrounds are just the tip of the iceberg. To truly enhance the naval experience, TaleWorlds needs to implement several key features.
Deepening Naval Combat Mechanics
Currently, naval combat is rudimentary at best. Ships simply exchange volleys of arrows or stones until one sinks or the crews engage in a boarding action. Introducing more complex ship-to-ship combat mechanics, such as ramming, grappling, and different types of ammunition (fire arrows, chain shot), would significantly increase the depth and excitement of naval battles. The addition of ship customization options, allowing players to upgrade their vessels with different types of armor, weapons, and engines, would also add a layer of strategic depth.
Implementing Naval Trade and Economic Systems
Trade routes and naval blockades should have a tangible impact on the game’s economy. Players should be able to disrupt trade, control key ports, and even establish their own naval trade empires. This would require a more robust economic system that tracks the flow of goods between cities and regions. The price of goods should fluctuate based on supply and demand, creating opportunities for shrewd merchants to profit.
Adding Naval-Specific Units and Equipment
Currently, there is no distinction between land-based and naval units. Introducing specialized naval units, such as marines, boarding parties, and shipwrights, would add a layer of realism and strategic depth to naval warfare. Similarly, adding naval-specific equipment, such as grappling hooks, boarding ladders, and specialized naval armor, would further differentiate naval combat from land-based warfare.
As a long-time fan of the Mount & Blade series and a dedicated player of Bannerlord 2, I have spent countless hours exploring the game’s various features and mechanics. I have also closely followed the game’s development, reading interviews with the developers and participating in online discussions with other players. My passion for the game and my deep understanding of its mechanics have allowed me to identify the key areas where naval gameplay could be improved.
My suggestions are based on a thorough analysis of the game’s current state, as well as a careful consideration of the potential impact of new features and mechanics. I believe that the five naval-focused character backgrounds I have proposed, along with the additional features I have suggested, would significantly enhance the Bannerlord 2 experience and provide players with a wealth of new content to explore.
You can find more about Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord on its Wikipedia page.
Here are some common questions players might have about the potential for naval-focused characters in Bannerlord 2:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Are there any naval-focused character backgrounds in the game? | Currently, no. Existing backgrounds lean heavily towards land-based origins, leaving players who desire naval campaigns with limited options. |
| What skills would be important for a naval character? | Skills like Riding, Athletics, Roguery (for raiding), Trade, Stewardship, Tactics, Navigation, Medicine, Engineering, and Leadership would be crucial depending on the specific background. |
| How could naval combat be improved in Bannerlord 2? | Implementing more complex ship-to-ship combat mechanics, introducing naval-specific units and equipment, and deepening the naval trade and economic systems would significantly enhance the experience. |
| What are some potential starting relationships for naval characters? | This would depend on the background. A raider would be hostile to coastal factions, a merchant would be neutral to positive, and a naval officer would be allied with their kingdom. |
| Would river warfare be a viable addition to Bannerlord 2? | Absolutely. A river pirate background would offer a unique blend of naval and land combat, requiring players to navigate treacherous waters and ambush settlements along major rivers. |